Art Fairs We Love :: Miami 2011
Three Friends We Love featured artists are exhibiting works at the art fairs in Miami this year – Aakash Nihalani + Olek at Scope with the Jonathan LeVine Gallery and SoA’s M. Tony Peralta at Pool Art Fair.
M.Tony Peralta, Artist + Graphic Designer :: 120 Seconds
M. Tony Peralta explains that art saved his life because through it he’s able to express himself creatively and work in a fulfilling career that has opened doors to the world around him.
Artists We Love :: M. Tony Peralta
M. Tony Peralta is one of those artists who captures the iconography in our every day lives and presents it back to us as beautiful works of art. We recently met up with Tony at La Sala 78 a quaint coffee house in Washington Heights that not only serves Dominincan-grown, locally roasted coffee but also exhibits some of his artwork.
Tony’s work is one which Latinos living in the US can easily identify with. There is plenty of nostalgia and comfort that comes with seeing a Bustelo can or a series of Goya beans on the wall. Although we’ve seen this type of art before, it’s never had that Latino touch. During our meeting, Tony posed a question to us, “What if Andy Warhol were Latin?” We all laughed but then we quickly understood the relevance and significance of this type of work for our community. It is a simple way of validating our experience at a time when we still hear anti-immigrant rhetoric on prime-time TV.
Tony’s work doesn’t begin or end with these images. It is only one aspect of his burgeoning empire that has roots in fashion, graphics & silk screening. No te duermas, you might miss something!
The Sound of Art organization is responsible for presenting art in non-traditional spaces to the community and represents artists like M. Tony Peralta.
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